High school10 min

Alcohols, aldehydes and ketones: controlled oxidation

Classify an alcohol in ten seconds, predict what its controlled oxidation gives, and tell an aldehyde from a ketone with Fehling's solution.

The essentials

1

The three classes of alcohol

Look at the carbon that carries the −OH\ce{-OH} and count its carbon neighbours. One: primary alcohol (ethanol CHX3−CHX2−OH\ce{CH3-CH2-OH}). Two: secondary (propan-2-ol CHX3−CH(OH)−CHX3\ce{CH3-CH(OH)-CH3}). Three: tertiary (2-methylpropan-2-ol (CHX3)X3C−OH\ce{(CH3)3C-OH}).
2

Controlled oxidation

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3

Stopping at the aldehyde

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4

Aldehyde or ketone

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5

The two aldehyde tests

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